The purpose of the Working Forests in the Tropics
Conference (WFT) is to provide an interdisciplinary and interactive forum for
sharing and synthesis of information about tropical forest conservation and
management. This conference will
explore how scientists from universities and research organizations have worked
in partnership with government agencies, policy-makers, the private sector,
social movements, and natural resource managers to advance conservation and
development through applied research and capacity-building.
The conference will also offer networking opportunities for participants.

Who
Should Attend

This conference is designed
to bring together academic and non-academic researchers and professionals
(national and international agencies, NGO and private sector) and students
interested in tropical forest, conservation, management, economics, and policy.

Conference Structure

Oral sessions have been organized around three primary
topics: training innovations, cross-scale multi-stakeholder processes, and
knowledge exchange to facilitate research. Each session will include invited
papers selected by the session moderator in consultation with the steering
committee, followed by a panel discussion. The final afternoon will include
breakout discussion groups which will allow participants to discuss and
synthesize the perspectives previously presented.

In addition to the oral sessions, there will be a poster session open to
submissions on any aspect of tropical forest conservation, economics,
management, or policy.

This
session presents innovative models for the training of researchers and
practitioners. These innovations emphasize new tools and skills necessary for
researchers to engage in policy and conservation and development practice. The
models highlighted in this session include graduate education programs fostering
collaboration with various stakeholders, such as communities, NGOs and policy
makers, training programs bridging gaps between academic and applied skill sets,
and the development of tools facilitating the exchange of information, knowledge
and capacity across scales.

2. Cross-Scale Multi-stakeholder Processes

This session showcases lessons from conservation
and development initiatives involving the collaboration of multiple stakeholders
at various scales. Within these initiatives, research may be just one of many
objectives. The presentations in this session highlight the role of science and
research within the context of these processes as well as the perception of
science by various stakeholders. Public policy directives have often stimulated
land use changes in tropical forest regions, especially those related to
infrastructure and agricultural development.

3. Knowledge Exchange to Facilitate Research

How can we effectively engage local stakeholders
in the scientific research process to facilitate knowledge exchange between
scientists, resource managers, practitioners and policy-makers in conservation
and development? Presentations in this session highlight innovative and ethical
strategies for collaborating with local people in the design and implementation
of scientific research, as well as in the dissemination of research results.
Capacity building is considered an important way to bridge the gap between
science and practice.

Conference Participants who wish to present
their work on any aspect of the conference session themes are encouraged to
submit an abstract for consideration as a poster presentation no later than
June 16, 2008. Poster presentations will provide a valuable format for
dialogue outside the structured plenary and breakout sessions, and thus will
be a significant component of this conference. We are accepting posters
based on scientific research as well as practitioner experience.

Posters selected from abstract submissions
will be displayed during a formal poster session and reception with authors
available for discussion. Posters will be judged on relevance to the
conference themes, clarity, originality and impact, and overall quality. All
approved abstracts will be published on the conference website prior to the
conference. Authors will be notified if their submission is accepted by
Monday, July 7, 2008. Detailed abstract submission instructions are provided
below. Please be sure to follow them carefully to ensure your submission is
received and recorded. Abstracts MUST be submitted ONLINE via this web site.

Poster presentations will play a key role in the
success of the Working Forests in the Tropics Conference. Much time will be
dedicated for viewing posters so that scientists, researchers, policy-makers
and managers can interact and use these opportunities to share details of
their work, successes and lessons learned. Submit your abstract today in
order to take part in this collaborative exchange.

Poster Specifications

Posters
selected from abstract submissions will be displayed during a formal
poster session and reception with authors available for discussion.

Posters will
be limited to 4 feet high x 6 feet wide (1.22M high x 1.83M wide). Allow
a 4-inch x 4-inch space (10.16cm x 10.16cm) for a poster number in the
upper left-hand corner of your poster. Each poster will be assigned a
number in advance so that you will know where to place your poster.

Poster
boards will be freestanding.

Posters must
be presented using the poster boards provided by the Conference. The
poster boards are contiguous, and presenters may not use their own
self-contained displays. Due to space constrictions, no tables will be
provided.

Poster boards
are covered with fabric, and posters can be affixed using either Velcro
or ¾” long push pins. Tape is not permitted. A limited supply of Velcro
tape will be available for your use during mounting, but we recommend
you bring a supply with you. Multiple strips two inches in length work
best.

Early morning, mid-day and afternoon
refreshments will be served in the poster session room each day. In
addition, there will be a formal poster session reception on Monday
evening.

Poster Session Schedule

SET UP:

Monday, October 6, 7:00-8:30am

RECEPTION:

Monday, October 6, 5:00pm-7:00pm
(Presenters to be stationed at posters from 6:00pm-7:00pm.)

REMOVAL:

Tuesday, October 7, 12:30-5:00pm*

*Poster display boards will be
dismantled and removed by the vendor on Tuesday, so please remove
your poster as soon as possible Tuesday afternoon. If not, the
conference organizers are not responsible for lost or damaged
posters removed by the display board vendor. Posters left behind
will be discarded.

SPECIAL NOTE: For authors presenting
multiple posters, we make every attempt to position your posters within
close proximity of each other.

Field trip to Ocala National Forest, to be led by Jack Putz
(up to 25 participants)

The field trip to Ocala National Forest will
leave by van from the Holiday Inn University Center at 13th Street and
University Avenue, where many conference participants will be staying. We
depart at 8:30am and should return around 3:00pm. Lunch and drinks will
be provided. You should wear long pants and comfortable shoes and bring sun
protection (hat and sunscreen). Swimming apparel will also come in handy.

We will drive from Gainesville to Ocala National Forest, about 1 hour, and
visit the Ocklawaha River, old growth scrub, longleaf pine savanna, and
Juniper Springs, where swimming is an option.

For more information on the natural history of Ocala National Forest, read
the essay written by our field trip leader, Jack Putz:
CLICK HERE for essay (PDF Format)

Registration Fee: The conference
registration fee provides each attendee the participation in the conference,
conference materials, morning, mid-day and afternoon refreshments, the Monday
Evening Poster Reception and the Closing Reception.

NON-UF Student Fee: A photocopy of a valid student ID must accompany
student registrations in order to receive the student fee. After registering,
please FAX or email a copy of your student ID to: 1-352-392-4044 or
jhanna@ufl.edu, Attn: Working Forests.

Optional
Conference Events

Pre-Conference Field Trip (Sunday, October 5, 2008)

$25.00

Field Trip Fee: This fee includes lunch,
refreshments, transportation and access to tour sites by private guides. Please
refer to the Field Trip portion of the web site for detailed information.

Note:
Before clicking on the "Register Now" link below, we recommend that you have
payment information on-hand, such as credit card, check number or purchase order
number, if we are to invoice your institution.

We are
delighted you wish to register for this event.

Advanced registration is closed, however, we will be happy to
register you onsite and look forward to your participation.

THANK YOU!!!

Refund
Policy: Requests for registration refunds will be honored if written notice
of cancellation is received by the Office of Conferences and Institutes on or
before Friday, September 12, 2008. A $50.00 processing fee will be deducted from
all attendee refunds and a $20 processing fee for non-UF student refunds . No
refunds will be honored for cancellations after Friday, September 12, 2008.

Special Needs: Special needs (such as visual, hearing or walking
impairments) of registered attendees can be reasonably accommodated if they
contact the Office of Conferences & Institutes at least 10 working days prior to
the short course. We can be reached by phone at (352) 392-5930, by fax at (352)
392-9734, or by email at jhanna@ufl.edu. If
calling from within the State of Florida, the office can be reached at
1-800-955-8771 (TDD).

As a
participant of the Working Forests in the Tropics Conference, you have the
opportunity to play a vital role in making our event sustainable. Below is a
list of suggested actions that you can take to help make the WFT Conference
green:

The Holiday Inn University Center is
surrounded on all sides by the University of Florida, shops, boutiques,
restaurants, and "the Heart of Gainesville." This 6 story "just off campus"
landmark is a non-smoking hotel. The hotel is a short walking distance of the
Working Forests in the Tropics Conference held on the University of Florida
campus in the J. Wayne Reitz Union.

A block of guest rooms has been reserved at
The Holiday Inn University Center for a special rate of $88 plus 9.25% tax
for single or double occupancy. In order to receive the reduced rate,
reservations must be made prior to September 15, 2008. Please be
aware that traditionally the block of guest rooms fills before the deadline,
therefore we encourage you to make your reservation at your earliest
convenience. After September 15th, the discounted rate is not guaranteed.

Please
contact the hotel directly at (352) 376-1661 and mention the group code “WFT” to make your reservation. You may
also fax your completed reservation form, directly to the hotel at (352)
336-8717.

Any room reservation canceled within
five (5) days of arrival will be charged one night’s room deposit.

NOTE: Tax Exemption – To receive tax
exempt status, payment must be made in the form of a government issued check or
credit card and be accompanied by a Florida sales tax exemption
certificate presented at check-in. The form of payment must match the name on
the tax exemption certificate; cash, personal checks, and personal credit cards
are not acceptable forms of payment for tax-exempt individuals or groups.

The hotel check-in time is 4:00pm and check
out is 11:00am.

All rooms have a coffee maker, high-speed
internet access, phone with voice mail, work desk with lamp, in room video
check-out, and a free morning newspaper delivered to room.

Air service is provided through the
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), just north of the University of Florida.
The Holiday Inn University Center provides complimentary area shuttle service to
and from the airport and other locations within a 4 mile radius of the hotel.
To secure airport shuttle transportation please contact the Holiday Inn
University Center at (352) 376-1661 to make a reservation.

Additional air service is available in
Jacksonville (JAX), Orlando (MCO) and the Tampa (TPA) areas and is a 2-3 hour
drive from the University of Florida.

Click here for Hotel Registration Form(Use
only if you wish to make your reservation by mail or fax rather than phone.)
(You will need
Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print this form.)

The Holiday Inn University Center is
only a short drive from the Gainesville Regional Airport. Transportation to and
from the airport is provided through the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service.
To secure airport shuttle transportation please contact the Holiday Inn
University Center at (352) 376-1661 to make a reservation.

These photos are available free of charge. If you use any of
these photos in a publication, on a web site, or as part of
any other project, please use the following credit line:
Photo by Tyler Jones, UF, IFAS.

These photos may not be used to infer or imply endorsement
of any product.

There is a file entitled "Archive.zip" in each of the
"Hi-Res Photos" directories. This file contains all of the
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